2009/11/17 - Google Wave Hits Zingodia

Google wave preview - I finally received my Google Wave preview credentials - rickajr@googlewave.com - and grabbed a hold of some waves. After some initial playtesting, the best way to describe Google Wave is to explain it as a mashup of email and threaded messages such as from a forum. On the left is a column set aside for your navigation and contacts. In the middle is a column for the inbox - the inbox in this case being wave conversations/threads. The right column is the wave itself which is a set of threaded messages that can be a mashup of just about anything - documents, videos, emails, instant messages, even applications like games (example would be chess - games that would involve 2 or more people).

Essentially, a Google Wave can become the ultimate team collaboration tool where everything needed about a topic is gathered into one large stack with information gathered from everyone associated with the wave. While I think about that for a moment, I can see that this might become unwieldy to those who need information in the right box (although search is integrated within) - so maybe in those cases a team site/wiki such as Google Sites might be the ultimate end game - but certainly the Wave has the potential to be a powerful idea generator and team collaboration tool.

I'll continue to post more information as I participate in more waves and push the product. If you're on board the Wave - then drop me a new wave and collaborate.

As a side note - just as Microsoft Windows screamed for innovation in monitor specifications from monochrome characters to graphical pixels; Google Wave is going to push the limits of monitor real estate and push for very large display capabilities.